Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
The effects of career planning education
Marija Turnsek Mikacic* Faculty of Organisation Studies Novo mesto, Novi trg 5, 8000 Novo mesto, Slovenia
marija.turnsek-mikacic@cultos.net
Abstract
Research Question (RQ): We employed a qualitative approach to study the effects of career planning education, perceiving it as an effective way to gain a deeper understanding of introductorily-organised career education. Purpose: We researched important areas to formulate a questionnaire for quantitative analysis. Method: We used a qualitative research approach in order to develop a theoretical framework for the exploration, interpretation and identification of the impact of education on career plans, on the changing attitudes towards careers, the raising of self-esteem and perception of personal growth. We used Neuro-linguistic programming as a tool to develop and achieve personal excellence within the career planning.
Results: We constructed a paradigmatic model and developed the final theory. By means of qualitative analysis, we identified the elements of design criteria for the construction of the questionnaire; we measured the effects of education on career plans.
Organization: The findings of the research will prove useful in personal management and career management in the process of planning and organizing the promotion of individuals within the organizations in accordance with the needs of those organizations.
Originality: A career plan as a building block of personal growth, based on the model of career education with the in-built elements and tools of NLP, has been confirmed by the most recent studies in neuroscience. This represents a novelty, and, therefore, this study offers a genuine contribution, and is an indicator of contemporary knowledge, based on the results of the research.
Limitations/Future Research: The model of career education and the results of this study open new directions for further research of the influence of career planning on the organisation of companies and their success, which is the phase of the study which was not carried out.
Keywords: Career planning, qualitative analysis, neuro-linguistic programming, personal excellence.
1 Introduction
Meta-analyses have shown (Lipsey and Wilson, 2001) that career planning enables a tremendous progress for those with well-developed psychological, educational and behavioural characteristics. To improve our understanding of what is an effective career planning, with whom it should take place, how long it should last and under what conditions, as well as what are the results of it, we need additional estimations (pp. 146-167). An already concluded research (Baudouin et al., 2007) has shown that only 15-30% of the programs of career counselling include subsequent evaluation, 35-45% are evaluated only by means of the counsellor - client contact during counselling, and 25-40% of the programs have not been evaluated at all (pp. 146-157).
The reasons for the implementation of research on career counselling (Morrell and Jayawardhena, 2008) are the evaluations of the true value of the programs in terms of what we can expect from them, what a program can and what it cannot achieve. Analyses of the programs
* Korespondenčni avtor.
Prejeto: 11. junij 2015; revidirano: 16. junij 2015; sprejeto: 1. september 2015.
92
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
also include research on how a program of career counselling helps decision-makers to change the structure of the programs, or collect arguments for the defence of the programs (pp. 135-152).
This paper describes an overview of the current research in the field of career and career planning. The basic empirical data for qualitative analyses is presented. It has been collected during the educational process, as word-descriptions and testimonies of the participants. We constructed a paradigmatic model and developed the final theory and the questionnaire. The participants of education formulated their own career impact. The findings of the research will prove useful in career management and society. The creation of a career and business plan allows people in later live and unemployed persons to find the appropriate kind of self-employment more quickly. On the other hand, a career plan helps the employed people in later to avoid a career break, which leads to unemployment, and replace it with career transition, which opens a variety of career patterns. Research hypotheses: Individuals who make a personal career plan, after the act, change their attitudes towards career and take control of their lives, achieve a high degree of self-reliance and self-confidence, achieve personal excellence perception to a greater extent than individuals who are not career educated and do not make career plans.
Base of knowledge about career was for us an important framework and a context for education about career. So we understand better individual strategies, approaches and tools at counseling. At building of personal excellence we emphasized that a path of positive development of oneself and a role of neurolinguistic programming at development of personal excellence. We presented NLP as model of operations which offers a way of thinking about the use of the language of mind, that we can encourage own brains, manage our situations and consistently achieve desired goals. NLP as a method presented to us a challenge for formulation of educational model for the achievement of personal excellence based on education about career plan.
2 Theoretical framework
Researchers (Oliver and Spokane, 1988, p. 449) use different instruments for the evaluation of career education. We have witnessed numerous measurements (for example, questionnaires, interviews and career planning) and various types of measurements (for example, behavioural, archival, or mood-related ones). We follow (Morrell and Jayawardhena, 2008) special (for example, an achievement of career goals) and general measurements (for example, satisfaction at work); partial results (for example, skills for job searching) lead to final results (for example, an employment status) and show why a program of career counselling succeeded or not, and what kind of improvements we have to make (p. 154). Educational results (Conger and Donnellan, 2007, p. 178) (for example, self-confidence, an opportunity for displaying self-confidence, skills for decision-making, art and capabilities of adaptation) are important partial results of career counselling, and forecast further effects, such as better health. The main results of the researched domains (Conger, Conger, and Martin, 2010) pertain to: a decision about a
93
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
career (for example, good self-knowledge, adequate and real choices, searching for career information, determination, satisfaction), the effectiveness of operation (for example, theoretical skills, the arts of employment conversation, professional maturity, self-confidence, the need for achievements), and the evaluation of counselling (for example, marks of satisfaction and effectiveness) (pp. 692-695).
The final goal of a career (Fletcher and Bailyn, 2005) is psychological success, a feeling of pride and personal achievement, which are derived from the achievement of one of the most important goals in life, such as success, family happiness, inner peace, or something similar (pp. 173-175). There exist so many different possibilities for the achievement of psychological success as there are different human needs. We manage our careers and our personal career plans by ourselves. A career plan is a lifelong series of changes of identity and a lifelong learning. By doing this, we become aware of our excellence and develop it. Personal growth is a process of how to become a better person, and reflects everything an individual does or makes. Personal excellence is a characteristic of people who develop their gifts and talents in the highest possible way, and achieve harmony in thinking, feeling, knowing, which all leads to fruitful relations and results. Personal growth (Novak, 2007, pp. 40-45) is a path of positive development of oneself. This is shown in self-defined and self-evaluated achievements, which reflect what an individual can achieve at his or her best abilities and at his or her full engagement. Personal excellence connects the process of the building of personal growth and quality from the inside with real life experience of every individual, so that (Low and Hammett, 2011, p. 26):
(1)	It transforms individuals who can change their behaviours.
(2)	It broadens the experiential learning of individuals.
(3)	It develops a transformation of capabilities of individuals and organisations.
(4)	It is connected with work and career satisfaction.
Primarily cross-sectional, bi-variant research shows that unemployment is connected with a higher level of depression (Hamilton, Hoffman, Broman, and Rauma, 1993, p. 242), financial pressure (Brief, Konovsky, Goodwin, and Link, 1995, p. 693), and a diminished level of mental health (Wanberg, Zhu, and van Hooft, 2010, p. 789), self-confidence (Winefield, Winefield, Tiggemaun, and Goldney, 1991, p. 426) and general well-being (Brief, et al. 1995, p. 700).
Psychological interventions are often used as crucial elements of career education (Hamilton and Dobson, 2001). Accordingly, research on career education should be developed, so that the conditions, connected with effective career interventions, could be better understood (pp. 3551).
This knowledge can also be used for all educational processes, because it increases the quality and effects of education (Spokane, 1991, 2004, pp. 455-473). Numerous researchers have emphasized the importance of the mutual influence between a teacher and a participant of education (Schedin, 2007, p. 72; Horovath and Greenberg, 1989; Sexton and Whiston, 1994, p. 52; Kolden, Howard, and Maling, 1994, p. 82-89; Kiesler, 1996, p. 125; Kelly, 1991, p. 82).
94
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
Previous research has shown that the influence of career education is as important as personal explanation and feedback report, modelling and attention for achievement of support (Brown and Krane, 2000, p. 115). Previous research has emphasized the importance of individual variables at career counselling (ways of answering, intentions and effectiveness itself) Multon, Heppner, Gysberg, Zook, and Ellis-Kalton, 2001, pp. 324-335; Heppner and Heppner, 2003, pp. 429-452; Lindh, 1997, p. 73), experiences of education givers and education receivers during the education (Andersson and Niles, 2000, p. 257; Kirschner, Hoffman, and Hill, 1994, p. 219), and expectations and experiences before education (Loven, 2000, p. 24; Galassi, Crace, Martin, James, and Wallace, 1992, p. 49). Sexton and Whiston (1994, pp. 6-78) recommend to research the connection between the education giver and receiver.
Research states that effective learning nurtures and creates good relations amongst people who are in the process of education. Students open their minds to teachers who lead their hearts and souls (Pishghadam, Shayesteh, and Shapoori, 2011). They can express themselves in a class in which a teacher knows how to build effective relations. A teacher who knows how to establish good relationships and maintain effective communication among students can facilitate the learning process (p. 2).
Richards and Rodgers (2001, pp. 126-130) have researched NLP as an additional technique at learning, and Millroad (2004) defined this technique as a '[s]hortcut to learning which creates excellence in students' results' (p. 28) and as having a delightful potential for studying and learning. The literature about NLP does not show sufficient research in the field of the use of the methods of neurolinguistic programming in the learning process.
Tosey and Mathison (2003) researched the relationship we have towards ourselves and learning before and after NPL education. The change happens in thinking about myself as a student. Changes are sometimes dramatic, sometimes small. More important are the changes in relations on higher logical levels (values, identity, a mission). With the analysis, they got the following patterns of students' reactions: a strong theme of failure, changes in people's beliefs about learning, changes in perception of themselves as students, changes in attitudes towards capabilities and future actions, clear connections between the things which are happening on higher logical levels and inner perception of sub-modality (pp. 1 -19).
Tosey, Mathison and Michelli (2005) have defined neurolinguistic programming as an important concept in human relations which studies the structure of personal experiences. They have defined NLP as a series of communicational techniques and strategies for the development of relations, personal changes and learning (p. 145).
People with effective personalities are aware of the fact that, for personal growth, constant learning is needed. Therefore, they use neurolinguistic programming for the realization of real potentials and educate themselves constantly on seminars and workshops. Programs of neurolinguistic programming come to their turn when other managerial programs finish. They reveal different approaches to learning, thinking and excellence of operations. They present the ways on how some people succeed and how they repeat the success. It is possible to know the difference between those who are good at their work and model those who are excellent.
95
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
Modelling in the language of neurolinguistic programming means learning by example, learning from an idol - a model whom we imitate. Although we do not know something, we watch others and imitate their behaviour and their way of thinking. The approach is very helpful, useful and natural. Humans have been learning things this way since prehistoric times; it is a totally spontaneous activity. Learning by means of imitation is a primordial human capability.
Research describes the potential of a personal career plan. For the realisation of a potentially new career, an individual develops his or her own competences of self-management and the management of his or her career. In our research, we set the following hypotheses: Individuals who made a personal career plan changed their attitudes towards careers and took control of their lives, achieved a high degree of self-reliance and self-confidence, achieved a perception of personal growth to a greater extent than individuals who were not career educated and did not make career plans.
The final goal of a career is psychological success, the feeling of pride and personal achievement, which all come from the attainment of the most important goals in life: success, family happiness and inner peace. There is an infinite number of possibilities for the achievement of psychological success; indeed, as many as there are unique human needs (Maslow 1948, pp. 433-436). Our career and personal career plan are managed by ourselves, not by any company. The security of the work place is becoming less important, and is being substituted by another goal - employability.
The idea for the model is derived from experiential learning model. It consists of tools, which were tested and developed here during education process, through four activities for the participants: (a) recognition of their own potential; (b) a more thorough understanding of themselves; (c) development of their own concrete career goals; and (d) their self-promotion and self-branding.
3 Method
3.1 Qualitative analysis
This study used a qualitative research approach in order to develop a theoretical framework for the exploration, interpretation and identification of the impact of education on career plans, on the changing attitudes towards careers, the raising of self-esteem and perception of personal growth. Merriam (1998) says that they 'often carried out qualitative studies because there is not enough theory or because the existing theory does not adequately explain the phenomenon. Thus, qualitative researchers build theory from observations and intuitive responses obtained in the field of study questions.' Since the design of a specific education, using the tools of neurolinguistic programming, has not been studied and is a novelty, it is important for future studies that first appear to explore the theoretical foundation, which broadly explains the importance of concepts, definitions, characterisation and descriptions of things. The qualitative approach is an effective way to gain a deeper understanding of introductorily-organised career education, thereby providing the greatest opportunity to build a theoretical framework that is
96
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
used to conduct research on matters, such as the educational career plan as an element of personal growth.
The basic experiential documentation was collected through the educational process, with descriptions in words and narratives in the form of essays. The documentation was processed and analysed through the words. The qualitative research ended with the formulation of a justified theory.
We had four focus groups, each involving five people. Qualitative research uses the words of a limited sample of study participants to explore the 'whys' of a research question. Focus groups have become a valuable and frequently used tool for collecting qualitative data. Focus groups gather information and insight on a predetermined subject from a small group of participants, using a trained facilitator. The interaction between group members becomes an explicit part of the method. Focus groups are usually conducted with groups of six to 12 individuals who share similarities, but who do not know each other personally. They are chosen because they can speak confidently about their personal experiences with regards to a research topic (Gibbs, 1997; Stewart et al., 2007).
The procedure of the qualitative analysis was divided into six steps: (1) the editing of the documentation; (2) the determination of the units for coding; (3) open coding; (4) the selection and definition of the relevant concepts and categories; (5) relational coding; and (6) the formulation of the final theoretical premise. Using this, we based our findings mainly on the procedure described by Glaser and Strauss (1967, 2005), and, afterwards, summarised by Strauss and Corbin (1990, 1998), Corbin and Strauss (2007), Morse, et al. (2009). For the implementation of the qualitative research, we carried out data processing using the ATLAS.SI programme.
The purpose of ATLAS.ti (http://www.atlasti.com/index.html) is to help researchers uncover and systematically analyze complex phenomena hidden in unstructured data (text, multimedia, geospatial). The program provides tools that let the user locate, code, and annotate findings in primary data material, to weight and evaluate their importance, and to visualize the often complex relations between them.
3.2 The steps of theory building
The first steps of theory building take place much earlier, often already during coding. Ideas are developed further during the process of querying the data. Visualization and theory-building tools encompass predominantly various network view functions. One of the most attractive properties of graphs is their intuitive graphical presentation, mostly in the form of two-dimensional layouts of labelled nodes and links. In contrast with linear, sequential representations (e. g., text), presentations of knowledge in networks resemble more closely the way human memory and thought is structured. Cognitive 'load' in handling complex relationships is reduced with the aid of spatial representation techniques. ATLAS.ti uses (Friese, 2011) networks to help represent and explore conceptual structures. Networks add a heuristic 'right brain' approach to qualitative analysis.
97
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
The study uses a qualitative research approach to develop a theoretical framework for the study (three hypotheses), with explanation and determination of the influence of career education on the changes in the attitudes: towards career (hypothesis 1), increased self-esteem (hypothesis 2) and perception of personal growth (hypothesis 3). Merriam (1998) said that 'qualitative studies are frequently carried out because there is not enough theory or because the existing theory has not appropriately explained the phenomenon. The qualitative researchers therefore base their theory on observations and intuitive answers, collected from the field of research questions.' As the concepts of concrete education by means of the tools of NLP have not been studied and represent a novelty, it is important for all future studies that a theoretical premise, which broadly explains the importance, concepts, definitions, characterisation, and descriptions is established first. The credibility, transferability, and reliability of this qualitative research can be determined using 'triangulation.' Triangulation refers to the use of several sources and methods for data collection (Creswell, 1998; Leedy and Ormrod, 2001, Merriam, 1998). The data sources for triangulation included interviews, essays, articles and questionnaires. With triangulation, we use several sources and methods (Creswell, 1998), and strengthen the reliability and credibility of the data (Merriam, 1998).
4 Results
4.1	The survey of the contents in the Atlas.si programme
Rudimentary empirical material was gathered during the educational process (participants), and is presented as word-descriptions and narratives. At the end of the educational process, the participant wrote five essays:
(1)	Five provocative questions to myself.
(2)	Bright avenue of my future.
(3)	Life-line.
(4)	My dream professions.
(5)	My sub-personalities.
Essays are one of the types of instruments to carry out qualitative research, which is characterised by a direct approach (the purpose of the research participants is found or evident from the agreed content of the essay). Its content and form are unidentifiable or arbitrary. Essayists can write about anything. Even the style and technique of writing are not specified.
The analysis of essays is concrete, detailed and colourful. Qualitative research is clearly evident in the procedures describing reasoning and gradual abstracting of the concepts of different levels of abstraction from the empirical material. Every concept, form and decision can be seen in the elements of the empirical material. This is intended for the qualitative analysis of different techniques that are illustrations (tables) of both the relationship between empirical and theoretical concepts.
4.2	Network survey of the effects of career education
Materials are processed and analyzed in words. Research took place in a form of a sequential analysis. Qualitative research took place in a form of unwinding spiral. At the beginning of
98
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
research we had our own opinion about the research topic. When this opinion was changing during research, it lead to new observations and to wider understanding (hermeneutic circle -spiral or circle of widening of understanding).
'Justified theory' according to the method of Glaser and Strauss (1967, 2005) uses relations among variables such as: 'is a phenomenon', 'is a context of, 'is a consequence', 'is condition for - ', ' is strategy - for' etc., for concepts found in a phase of open coding. At analysis of the structure of argumentation are more appropriate other relations, as for example 'is evidence for', ' is contrary to, ' is a guarantee for'. (p. 145)
The impact of one's relation to their career (K). Qualitative analysis and interpretations: we analysed the characteristics of concepts, selected the most relevant concepts, defined them, searched for relations among them, and, finally, formulated corrections, formularies and theoretical explanations. Figure 2 shows the network display of effects of career education for the dependent variable 'one's relation to their career.'
In a network view editor, we are linking all objects to each other. Code-code and quotationquotation links are named and commented upon. A network is defined as a set of nodes and links. A node in a network is linked to an arbitrary number of other nodes.
Formal property of a network is its order: the number of its nodes. We make a practical use of
the degree of nodes by using it as a sorting criterion in the codes' list window.
'The impact of one's relationship to their career' has been formed according to the participants
of education, who expressed their relation in the written essay 'changes of my relation to my
career', which was determined by 'an open way to my dream professions', and, on this road,
they were lead by 'thinking about my career with a new approach to life' and 'my own
priorities.'
Transitive relation is the is-cause-of relation: if C1 is-cause-of C2 and
C2 is-cause-of C3, C3 is-cause-of C4, it follows that C1 is-cause-of C4. C5 is-cause-of C4.
Legend: C1 = 'My relation with my career.' (super code)
C2 = 'Changes in my relation to my career.' (one link to a node) C3 ='An open way to my dream professions.' (24 link to a node) C4 = 'Thinking about my career with a new approach to life.' (9 link to a node) C5 = 'My own priorities.' (5 link to a node)
99
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
Academic Edition
Figure 1. Network for the evaluation of the impact of career education: The impact of one's relation to their career (K). Turnsek Mikacic, M., 2014, Career planning as the fundamentals ofpersonal excellence, Doctoral dissertation. Faculty of organization study, Novo mesto, p.88.
The network survey of the effects of career education for the dependent variable 'the increase in self-confidence and self-esteem' (L) is shown in Figure 3.
The increase in self-confidence and self-esteem (L) of the participants in the career-education course who expressed their attitudes in a written essay, basing the form on 'the increase in self-esteem and self-confidence' when they 'listened to their intuition' and 'trusted in their abilities,' with a view to 'my bright avenue of the future.'
Transitive relation is the is-cause-of relation: if C1 is-cause-of C2 and
C2 is-cause-of C3, C3 is-cause-of C4, C5 is-cause-of C4, it follows that C1 is-cause-of C5.
Legend: C1 = 'A high degree of self-confidence.' (super code)
C2 = 'An increase of self-confidence.' (one link to a node) C3 = 'I listen to my intuition.' (7 link to a node) C4 = 'I trust my capabilities.' (13 link to a node)
C5 = 'Along the splendid avenue of my life grow big trees.' (11 link to a node)
100
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
^SmartDraw Af^emjcEmon
Figure 2. Network for the evaluation of the impact of career education: increase in self-confidence and self-esteem (L). Source: Turnsek Mikacic, M., 2014, Career planning as the fundamentals of personal excellence, Doctoral dissertation. Faculty of organization study, Novo mesto, p.89.
The network survey of the effects of the career education course for the dependent variable of the perception of personal growth (M) is shown in Figure 4.
Perception of personal growth (M) was expressed by the participants in the career-education course who wrote about their relation to it in an essay, and found out, with the analysis of the 'life line,' that they are 'encouraged by the opportunities for change.' 'The opportunities for change' also influenced the process 'I nurture my personal growth' and 'I am satisfied with my career plans.' A feeling that further contributes to the 'perception of personal growth' relates to: 'I feel abundance of love and want to share it,' 'if I do not take care of myself, I cannot take care of others' and 'I take care of my health.'
Transitive relation is the is-cause-of relation: if C1 is-cause-of C2 and
C2 is-cause-of C3, C3 is-cause-of C4, C5 is-cause-of C4, it follows that C1 is-cause-of C5.
Symmetric relation is C5 is-condition-for relation: the C5 is-condition-for C1, C5 is-condition-
for C2, C5 is-condition-for C3,
Transitive relation is-part-of relation: C6 is-part-of C1,
Transitive relation is-a relation: C7 is-a C1
Transitive relation is-property-of relation: C8 is-property-of C7
Legend: C1 = 'Perception of personal growth.' (super code) C2 = 'Lifeline.' (8 link to a node) C3 = 'I care for my personal growth.' (19 link to a node) C4 = 'I am satisfied with my career goals.' (7 link to a node)
101
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
C5 = 'Opportunities for change stimulate me.' (21 link to a node) C6 = 'I am full of love and I want to share it.' (11 link to a node) C7 = 'If I do not care for myself, I cannot care for others.' (5 link to a node) C8= 'I take care of my health.' (1 link to a node)
Članek
Figure 3: The network for the evaluation of the impact of career planning. Career planning as the fundamentals of personal excellence, Doctoral dissertation. Faculty of organization study, Novo mesto, p.90.
4.3 A model of a career plan as a building-block for personal growth
The conceptual model for making a career plan derives from Kolb's model of experiential learning (Kolb, 1985, p. 57). It contains tools we have tested and developed for education in the context of four activities: a) concrete experience, b) reflection on experience, c) abstract conceptualization and d) active experimentation. The model of experiential knowledge is a spiral, which means that knowledge builds up.
Parsons' three-level model speaks for personal analyses, where the individuals recognise their advantages and disadvantages, characteristics or features (Parsons 1909).
102
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,	Članek
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 92-109.
CAREER PLANNING
as the fundamentals of personal growth
Testing the questionnaire
Factor analysis
Statistical descriptive method with a frequency distribution
T-test
Bivariate analysis
Tentative theory
Questionnaire
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
BUILDING A MODEL OF EDUCATION of Career Plan
Model of career education
- Learning model
L Model of education
EMPIRICAL RESEARCH
	RESEARCH PHASES		THEORETICAL RESEARCH
			
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Theories and models of career
The new organizational paradigm
Planning personal and career development
Creation of personal excellence
^SmartDraw Academic Edition
Figure 4. The model of a career plan as a building block for personal growth. Turnsek Mikacic, M., 2014, Career planning as the fundamentals of personal excellence, Doctoral dissertation. Faculty of organization study, Novo mesto, p.157.
The research for the construction of the model consists of a theoretical and an empirical part (Figure 5). The theoretical part is an introduction into the researched problem, which represents starting points and a background research problem with the empirical part. The theoretical part consists of a theory and models about career, and a theory and models of personal growth planning and personal excellence planning.
The empirical part consists of qualitative and quantitative research (the latter is not an element of this article), which have created the foundations for the building of the model of education about a career plan and the career plan itself as a building block of personal excellence.
The ideal model for the definition of a career plan consists of the recognition of one's own potentials (e.g., European curriculum vitae, portfolio, competence). What follows is a deepened understanding of one's self (e.g., wheel of equilibrium, analysis of lifeline, Myers-Briggs indicator of personality). The participants in this career education determine what they really want to do, and what job makes them happy and is, at the same time, in agreement with their
103
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
personal values. They make measurable and very concrete goals for themselves in connection with their careers (e.g., career goals, career anchors, SWOT analyses), they define their own career portfolio, and they create a personal career plan. They train themselves on how to act in public (self-promotion) and how to present their own marketing brand (self-branding).
5 Discussion and Conclusion
With qualitative approach, we focus on getting insider views of the phenomena that require a deeper understanding. We have tried to identify the essence of the research, which is closely linked to its source, so as to identify the most relevant information. Because the study focuses on learning and self-regulation, qualitative approach is essential for understanding the perspectives of individual learners. For qualitative research, we started with a theoretical framework, and then used the lens to create additional concepts and theories. 'It is important to note that qualitative methods are very systematic' (Berg, 2001, p. 7).
By means of qualitative analysis, we identify the elements of design criteria for the construction of the questionnaire; we measured the effects of education on career plans. We identified three important areas, and a series of issues: attitudes towards a career, a degree of self-confidence and a perception of personal growth.
Personal career plan is based on one's own characteristics, experiences, tasks, knowledge's, trainings, skills, goals and the philosophy of each individual. Career planning is intended for the improvement of the ability of individuals to make career decisions.
The research on career education, based on the ideal model of a career plan as a building block of personal growth, has shown that individuals who have defined a personal career plan and, afterwards, acted accordingly, changed their attitudes towards their careers, took control over their own lives, achieved a high level of self-esteem and self-confidence, and achieved a higher perception of personal growth than individuals who did not attend career education and did not make career plans.
A career plan as a building block of personal growth, based on the model of career education with the in-built elements and tools of NLP, has been confirmed by the most recent studies in neuroscience. This represents a novelty, and, therefore, this study offers a genuine contribution, and is an indicator of contemporary knowledge, based on the results of the research.
The findings of this study will be practically useful for solving social problems of individuals as well as for the rationalisation of costs in public institutions and employment agencies. Above all, this is useful for individuals to avoid career breaks, which is represented by unemployment, and replace it with career transition, which offers different samples of different careers. These findings will also be useful in career management, as a process of planning and formation of promotion of individuals within an organisation, in accordance with the needs of the organisation and the wishes, options, knowledge, skills, and capabilities of the individuals. With regards to career education of individuals, these findings show that it will contribute to the success of an organisation, as individuals will strengthen their self-confidence and goal orientation, and thus enable themselves to be promoted within the organisation. On the other
104
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
hand, the managers and the organisations will recognise the advantages of individuals (e.g., their knowledge, skills), and will thus be able to coordinate and bring together the wishes of the individuals and the needs of the organisation, in order to develop new roads for promotion of the individuals and to help them prosper again when signs of their stagnation appear.
Our society, which will, in a broad sense, stimulate the definition of career plans within companies, will avoid numerous inconsistencies among adults in later live, the unemployed and the compensation they get in certain periods. Instead of facing a career break when becoming unemployed, and to be under constant stress, they can take more care, with the help of a career plan, of their smooth transition from one career to another.
Slovenia has been investing large amounts of resources for a long time for the sanitation of companies, but thousands of workers stay on the roads. All of the capital invested to help the owners will be usefully spend on the employees, who will, in times before the crisis, develop new knowledge and new skills, and learn how to lead new projects and be able and financially well-equipped to start new activities and new projects of marketing.
The model of career education and the results of this study open new directions for further research of the influence of career planning on the organisation of companies and their success, which is the area of the study which was not investigated.
References
1.	Andersson, W. P., & Niles S. P. (2000). Important Events In Career Counselling: Client and Counsellor Descriptions. The career development quarterly, 48(3), 251263. doi: 10.1002/j.2161-0045.2000.tb00290.x
2.	Baudouin, R., Bezanson, M. L., Borgen, W., Goyer, L., Hiebert, B., Lalande, V., & Berg, B. L. (2001). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
3.	Brief, A., Konovsky, M., Goodwin, R., & Link, K. (1995). Inferring the meaning of work from the effects of unemployment. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 25(8), 693-711. doi 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1995.tb01769.x http://www.sciencedirect.com/ science/help/doi .htm
4.	Brown, S. D. & Krane, N.E.R. (2000). Four (or five) sessions and a cloud of dust: Old assumptions and new observations about career counselling. In S. D.
5.	Brown & R. W. Lent (Ed), Handbook of counselling psychology (3rd. ed.). Hoboken J US: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
6.	Conger, R. D., & Donnellan, M. B. (2007). An integrationist perspective on the socioeconomic context of human development. Annual Review of Psychology, 58(1), 175-199. doi: 1.1146/annurev.psych.58. 110405. 085551
7.	Conger, R. D., Conger, K. J., & Martin, M. J. (2010). Socioeconomic status, family processes, and individual development. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72(3) 685-704. doi: 1.1111/j.1741-3737.201.00725.x
8.	Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2007). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (3rd. ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
105
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
9.	Creswell, J.W. (1998). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five traditions. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
10.	Erikson, E. H., Erikson, J. M., & Kivnick, H. Q. (1986). Vital involvement in old age. New York: Norton
11.	Fletcher, J. K., & Bailyn, L. (2005). The equity imperative: Redesigning work for work-family integration. V E. E. Kossek & S. J. Lambert (ed.). Work and life integration: Organizational, cultural, and individual perspectives, (pp. 171-189). Mahwah, NY.
12.	Friese, S. (2011). Qualitative Data Analysis with ATLAS.ti. Sage Publications.
13.	Galassi, J. P., Crace, R. K., Martin, G. A., James, R. M. Jr, & Wallace, R. L. (1992). Client preferences and anticipations in career counselling: A preliminary investigation. Journal of counselling psychology, 39(1), 46-55.
14.	Glaser, B. G. & Strauss D.T. (1967, 2005). The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. New York: Aldine de Gruyter.
15.	Gibbs, A. (1997). Focus groups. Social Research Update 19(4).
16.	Hamilton, V., Hoffman, W., Broman, C., & Rauma, D. (1993). Unemployment, distress, and coping: A panel study of autoworkers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 65, 234-247. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.65.2.234
17.	Hamilton, K. E., & Dobson, K. S. (2001). Empirically supported treatments in psychology: Implications for international promotion and dissemination: International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology 1(1), 35-51.
18.	Heppner, M. J., & Heppner, P. P. (2003). Identifying process variables in career counselling: A research agenda. Journal of Vocational Behaviour. 62, 429-452. doi: 10.1016/S0001-8791(02)00053-2
19.	Hočevar, Z. & Ritonja, S. (2001). Organizacijske strategije za izboljševanje in razvijanje kakovosti v zdravstvu (Organizational strategies for improving and developing health care quality), Slovenian Quality Association. The annual conference 2001 in Portoroz. The quality2, pp. 8-11.
20.	Horovath, A. O., & Greenberg, L. S. (1989). Development and validation of the working alliance inventory. Journal of counselling psychology. 36(2), 223-233.
21.	Kelly, G. A. (1955, 1991). The psychology of personal constructs (2.izd.). New York: Norton. Reprinted by Routledge, Reprint 1991.
22.	Kiesler, D. J. (1996). Interpersonal Theory and Research - personality, psychopathology and psychotherapy. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
23.	Kirschner, T., Hoffman, M. A., & Hill, C. E. (1994). Case study of the process and outcomeof career counselling. Journal of Counselling Psychology. 41(2), 216-226.
24.	Kolden, G., Howard, K., & Maling, M. (1994). The counselling relationship and treatment process outcome. The Counselling Psychologist, 22(1), 82-89.
25.	Kolb, D. A. (1985). Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.
26.	Leedy, P.D. & Ormrod, J.E. (2001). Practical research: Planning and design (7th. ed.). Upper Saddle River. New Jersy: Merrill Prentice Hall.
106
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
27.	Lindh, G. (1997). Samtalet i studie - och yrkesvagledningsprocessen. [The interview in the career counselling process]. Doctoral dissertation. Studies in educational science, Stockholm, Sweden: Lararhogskolan Stockholm.
28.	Lipsey, M. W., & Wilson, D. B. (2001). Practical meta-analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 146-167.
29.	Loven, A. (2000). Kvalet infor valet - Om elevers forvantningar och moten med vagledare I grundskolan. [The anguish before choosing - Pupils expectations and encounters with career counsellors in compulsory school], Doctoral dissertation. Department of Pedagogy, Malmo, Sweden: Lararhogskola i Malmo.
30.	Low, G. R., & Hammett, R. D. (2011). The transformational model of emotional intelligence: Improving student access and success. The International Journal of Transformative Emotional Intelligence, 1, 21-38. doi: 10.1007/978-94-6091-870-4_20
31.	Maslow, A. (1948). 'Higher' and 'Lower' Needs. Journal of Psychology, 25, 433-436, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080%2F00223980.1948.9917386
32.	Mathison, J. (2003). The inner life of words: An investigation into language in learning and teaching. Doctoral dissertation, University of Surrey
33.	Merriam, S.B. (1998). Qualitative research and case study applications in education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
34.	Millroad, R. (2004). The role of NLP in teachers-classroom discourse. ELT Journal, 58(1), 28-37. doi: 10.1093/elt/58.1.28
35.	Morrell, K., & Jayawardhena, C. (2008). 'Myopia and Choice'. Journal of Marketing Management, 24(1-2), 135-152. Retrieved January 2, 2011, from http://dx.doi.org/ 1.1362/ 026725708X273966
36.	Morse, J. M., Stern, P. N., Corbin, J., Bowers, B., Charmaz, K. & Clarke, A. E. (2009). Developing grounded theory: The second generation. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast.
37.	Multon, K. D., Heppner, M. J., Gysberg, N. C. Zook, C. & Ellis-Kalton, C. A. (2001). Client psychological distress: An important factor in career counselling. The career development quarterly. 49(4), 324-335. doi: 10.1002/j.2161-0045.2001.tb00960.x
38.	Novak, B. (2007). Nevrolingvisticno programiranje in osebna rast. Retrieved January 2, 2011, from http://www.transformacija.com/NLP%20in%20osebna% 20 rast.pdf.
39.	Oliver, L. W., & Spokane, A. R. (1988). Career-intervention outcome: What contributes to client gain? Journal of Counselling Psychology, 35, 447-462.
40.	Parsons, F. (1909). Choosing a vocation. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. In Zunker G. (2002). Career counselling: Applied concepts of life planning, (6th. ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
41.	Pishghadam, R., Shayesteh, S., & Shapoori, M. (2011). Validation of an NLP Scale and its Relationship with Teacher Success in High Schools. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2(4), 909-917. doi: 10.4304/jltr.2.4.909-917.
42.	Richards, J. C., & Rodgers T. S. (2001). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press
107
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
43.	Schedin, G. (2007). Expectations and experiences of career counselling. - An exploration of interpersonal behaviour. Doctoral dissertation from the Department of Psychology, Umeâ University, SE-901 87 Umeâ, Sweden ISBN 978-91-7264-325-3
44.	Sexton, T. & Whiston, S. (1994). The Status of the Counselling Relationship; An empirical review, Theoretical implications and Research directions. The Counselling Psychologist, 22(1), 6-78. doi: 10.1177/0011000094221002
45.	Spokane, A. R. (1991). Career intervention. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Retrieved January 2, 2011, from http://www.readperiodicals.com/201107/ 2380006411.html#ixzz2XWXdUXqq
46.	Spokane, A. R. (2004). A avaliaçâo das intervençôes de carreira, V L. M. Leitâo (Coord.), Avaliaçâo psicológica em orientaçâo escolar e profissional Coimbra: Quarteto. (pp. 455-473).
47.	Stewart, D. W., Shamdasani, P. N., & Rook, D. W. (2007). Focus Groups: Theory and Practice (2nd. ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
48.	Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
49.	Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd. ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
50.	Tosey, P., & Mathison, J. (2003). Neuro-linguistic programming: Its potential for learning and teaching in formal education. European Conference on Educational Research, University of Hamburg, 17-20 September 2003.
51.	Tosey, P., Mathison, J., & Michelli, D. (2005). Mapping transformative learning: the potential of Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Journal of Transformative Education, 3, 140-167.
52.	Turnšek Mikačic, M., (2014), Karierni načrt kot gradnik osebne odličnosti. [Career Planning as a Building Block for Personal Excellence], Doctoral dissertation. Faculty of organization study, Novo mesto.
53.	Wanberg, C. R., & Zhu, J., & van Hooft, E. (2010). The job-search grind: Perceived progress, self-reactions, and self-regulation of search effort. Academy of Management Journal 53(4), 788-807. doi: 10.5465/AMJ.2010.52814599
54.	Winefield, A., Winefield, H., Tiggemann, M., & Goldney, R. (1991). A longitudinal study of the psychological effects of unemployment and unsatisfactory employment
on young adults. Journal of Applied Psychology, 76, 424-431.
***
Marija Turnšek Mikačic is a university graduate in Economics (B.Sc.), who received her Master of Science degree in Business Policy and Organisation Sciences (M.Sc.), and her Doctorate in Quality Management (Ph.D). She has extensive experience of working for one of the major Pharmaceutical Companies, Lek, the major Publishing house Delo, and for the National Council of the Republic of Slovenia. She has worked as the Head of Market Research and Development, Director of the Organisation and Planning, and the Secretary-General. She is a lecturer at the Faculty of Organisation Studies, Novo mesto and Landscape Governance College, Novo mesto.
108
Revija za univerzalno odličnost,
September 2015, letnik 4, številka 3, str. 130-142.
Članek
POVZETEK
Raziskovalno vprašanje (RQ): Raziskovali smo vpliv izobraževanja o kariernem načrtu s kvalitativnim pristopom kot učinkovitim načinom za globlje razumevanje odnosa izobraževancev do svojih notranjih prioritet. Namen: Iskali smo prioritete za oblikovanje vprašalnika za kvantitativno raziskavo.
Metoda: Uporabili smo kvalitativni raziskovalni pristop, da bi razvili teoretični okvir za raziskovanje, interpretacijo in identifikacijo vpliva izobraževanja o kariernem načrtu, na spreminjajoči se odnos do kariere, dvig samozavesti in dojemanje osebne odličnosti. Nevrolingvistično programiranje smo uporabili kot orodje za razvoj in doseganje osebne odličnosti pri načrtovanje kariere, Rezultati: Zgradili smo paradigmatični model, in razvili končno teorijo.
Organizacija: Ugotovitve raziskave bodo koristne za osebno vodenje in upravljanje kariere v procesu načrtovanja in organiziranja spodbujanja posameznikov znotraj organizacij, v skladu s potrebami teh organizacij. Originalnost: Karierni načrt kot gradnik osebne rasti, temelji na modelu kariernega izobraževanja z vgrajenimi elementi in orodji NLP, ki je bilo potrjeno z najnovejšimi študijami v nevroznanosti. To predstavlja novost in zato ta študija je resnični prispevek, in je pokazatelj sodobnega znanja, ki temelji na rezultatih raziskave. Omejitve / Bodoče raziskave: Model kariernega izobraževanja in rezultati te študije odpirajo nove smernice za nadaljnje raziskave o vplivu načrtovanja kariere pri organizaciji podjetij in njihovega uspeha. Te faze še nismo preiskovali.
Ključne besede: načrtovanje kariere, kvalitativna analiza, nevrolinguistično programiranje, osebna odličnost.
109